Easy Stuffed Grape Leaves

:mideastfood.about.com

2012/08/17

1119

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, lean
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jar (16 oz) grape leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:

Soak grape leaves in cold water for 2-3 hours. Jarred grape leaves are very salty from the brine solution. Rinse and drain in a colander. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well with hands.

Rolling the Grape Leaves

Here comes the tricky part: rolling the leaves with the mixture. It's easy once you get the hang of it. Be careful to not wrap too tight. You have to leave a little room for the rice to expand. As you roll them, you are going to place in a circular arrangement in your dutch oven or large saucepan.

Place a grape leaf side down. Place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixture in the middle. Fold in the sides and roll upward. Think of rolling a burrito, only smaller.

When you have rolled the last leaf, place a heavy plate on top of the stuffed grape leaves in your pan. I use a ceramic plate. This helps keep the grape leaves in place during cooking so they don't shift around. Fill pan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30-45 minutes until rice and meat are done.